Reading Boudica

I have just finished reading this four volume saga, feeling a little bereft as I usually do after finishing a good read.  It was involving, moving and especially fascinating in the way it presented as normal the frequent insights into the life after this, the activities and communications from the 'lands beyond life'.   I did feel that the overwhelming concern from the hereafter was about killing enemies and fighting generally, but I guess that is what those times were about - fight or fall.   It clashed a little with my experience of the Christian God, who came prepared to spill his own blood rather than that of others.   The tale was very believable, and based on what evidence there is, which is pretty sparse.  

Growing

I think I am just beginning to grow up, at the age of 72. I was brought up to be very wary of the outside world, to regard other people as dangerous and not to be believed or trusted. It was an understandable mistake by my parents, but that was what they had learned in life and that was what we all, the three boys of the family, learned and grew up with. To some extent, I think, the youngest of us, Roger, has escaped from it because of his experience in the media world. Vernon has to some degree; I certainly have not. It has been a slow and hard journey to believe and to trust that, as Carl Rogers affirmed, 'the facts are friendly'. I did not believe it when I first read those words, and I can only with difficulty tell myself that now. Not only that, but to believe that basically, other people are friendly. I suppose my time in university teaching shored up my parents' message, in that other people were friendly on the surface, but so competitive that at the slightest opportunity, they would stab you in the back. Now I am going with the possibility that I can trust, can believe, can risk. I'll let you know how I get on with that.

It's now almost three months since our arrival in Dunbar, on Pleasance Farm. We have survived floods and winds, problems in travelling and extremely hard work (Therese) and are still enjoying immensely the cottage and its surroundings, dominated by fields, long vistas extending to Fife and beyond, and above all the SEA. Well actually, the Firth of Forth and the North Sea (out of separate windows). The place is mostly quiet, the daily low-flying jets being a very rude interruption to it, and the steady rhythm of the farm being a wonderfully reassuring

One month in Dunbar

Just a month - and a few of the boxes are still unpacked, though the house is usable and some things are where they might be OK to stay. Therese has started her jobs and seems to be able to manage the startup pressure, but is getting very tired at night. I think that will improve once she gets more used to the new situation. When we moved in the weather was fine throughout the weekend, and we have since had amazingly good days, and one very rainy day, when water seeped under the garage door and ruined some books still in their boxes. It looks like today will be another day like that as the rain has been falling heavily for the past five hours. I have just seen it coming out of the side door of the garage, so must investigate when it stops.

All in all, though, this place is wonderful - a great contrast to Durham. No neighbours here, apart from the couple at the farm and another couple in the other farm cottage, all PLU thankfully. We did our best to relate to folk in Bearpark but it just didn't work.